A father who confronted a gang of abusive teenage yobs was left for dead after they jumped and stamped on his head.

Andrew Boiston, 36, was blue and close to death when he was found unconscious with a punctured lung, broken ribs, fractured eye socket and severe head injuries. He spent five days in intensive care.

Yesterday the former soldier - who still has double vision, crippling headaches and shoulder pains - said: "I went down to the shop and a load of lads I'd never seen before started calling me names and ripping into me.

"They were calling me 'w****r' and 't****r'. They were only aged about 14 to 16.

"I chased them away to the park because I thought they'd just do it to the next person who came along.

"I sat down and offered them my hand, to show I didn't mean any harm. But one of them called me a paedophile and I chased them off again.

"I've no memory of what happened next - I was knocked out."

It is believed the cowardly young thugs stamped and kicked Andrew's head and chest before fleeing the scene at Great Warley, Essex.

Andrew, who needs a titanium plate fitted behind a damaged eye which he covers with a patch, said: "When an ambulance crew reached me I was blue and close to death.

"They airlifted me to hospital. I woke up days later in intensive care."

The assault is yet one more horrifying statistic in yob rule on our streets.

In the last 11 days dad of three Garry Newlove, 47, of Warrington, Cheshire, and graduate Evren Anil, 23, of South London, have died after challenging louts.

Yesterday an exclusive Mirror poll revealed that 42 per cent of people feel scared on the streets at night and 50 per cent feel less safe than 10 years ago.

Backing the Mirror's Reclaim Our Streets campaign married Andrew, dad of sons aged 11 and seven, added: "It's incomprehensible that kids can do this. I feel guilty I survived while another dad in the north has died.

"I think it could have been me. Our boys won't go to the park now and refuse to play with other children."

Asked if he would approach a group of teenagers again, he replied: "I wouldn't go near them."

Andrew now hopes the council will find his family a new home away from the area. His 34-year-old wife, who asked not to be named, said: "Next time these louts might kill someone."

Six youths have been charged with grievous bodily harm with intent.

Iranian Mahmud Maksoudian, 21, appeared before Bolton court yesterday accused of stabbing to death Andrew Holland, 16, after a row outside a takeaway in Farnworth, Greater Manchester, on Friday night.